FGB GRADUATE STUDENT CHARTS COURSE
Andrea Thurmond could be compared to the Energizer Bunny®. She is an excellent role model for any MSU student, and one whom MSU can be proud to claim as one of its own. Andrea graduated from MSU in 2007 — Summa Cum Laude in the Honors College — with a BS in Finance and minors in Economics and Spanish. Her undergraduate achievements speak for themselves, but are even more impressive when considering that she played handball for the MSU team, was inducted into Beta Gamma Sigma, was and still is an active member of the Financial Management Association (FMA), and worked 30 hours a week while attaining her undergraduate degree. Additionally, Andrea took advantage of the International Business Program and spent a semester in Valencia, Spain as an exchange student.
Andrea is currently a graduate assistant in the Finance and General Business department. This December she will complete her MBA with a concentration in finance. When asked “why that degree?” Andrea’s response was that for one thing that is where her interests lie and “finance ties a lot of things together.” Additionally, Andrea recognizes that there is a high demand in corporate America for MBAs with a concentration in finance.
In addition to her graduate assistant work and her graduate classes, Andrea is currently collaborating with another graduate student and FGB professor, Dr. James Scott to produce a presentation for possible publication through the International Midwest Business Administration Association and the Academy of Finance. The presentation has already been accepted and will be presented at the International MBAA 43nd Annual Meeting, April 2-4, 2008, in Chicago, Illinois under the title, “Proposed Study of the Impact of Corporate Spin-Offs.”
Andrea has a very bright future! She plans to take the Chartered Financial Analyst examination and indicates that the chances are very good that she will go to work for the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). This is the second year that she has had an internship with the FDIC, and they have alluded on more than one occasion to her future employment.
When asked if she has any advice for undergraduate students, she emphasizes, “Use your professors and work with them.” She says she came to realize that professors truly want you to be successful far beyond just the classroom – they don’t want you to just pass their class, they want students to understand and be able to connect concepts and theories. Andrea also recommends that students find a faculty mentor. She believes that such a relationship is invaluable not only academically, but in charting your future. Andrea considers Dr. Scott her mentor and inspiration – she said Dr. Scott nurtures students’ interest in finance and encourages students to get involved in such things as the FMA.
Given her Energizer Bunny® personality and the achievements behind the MBA that Andrea will receive in December this year, she will truly be an asset to any organization. We wish Andrea the best both personally and professionally, and look forward to catching up with her in a few years as an MSU alumnus.